[EVA] The Evangelion English Mailing List FAQ [7/7]: Spoilers

[Widya Santoso]

EVA FAQ version 0.6.3

New information delinated with "(*"

Contents

Section 5. Spoilers

5.0) What is the Instrumentality of Men project?
5.0.1) Is the Instrumentality of Mankind Third Impact?
5.1) Who is Yui, and what is her connection to EVA-01? (ep.21)
5.2) What happened to Shinji when he was small? (ep.21)
5.3) What happened to Asuka's parents? (ep.22)
5.4) What is the big deal about Rei? (major spoiler ep.23, 24) 
5.5) Why is everybody talking about the last two episodes? (ep.25 & 26)
5.6) What is the Spear of Longinus(sp?)? (Deleted and included in 1.6)
5.7) What is LCL?
5.8) What is the RCB? 
5.8.1) Is the RCB Evangelion Canon?
5.9) Why does Rei's image appear in front of Shinji in episode 1? 
5.10) Why does Shinji's Plug Suit appear when he disappears completely
      into EVA Unit 1 in episode 20?
5.11) Is the term "Children" a deliberate use?

--

Section 5. Spoilers

Each question is marked by the episode that it spoils.  If you have not
watched up to that episode I strongely advice against reading the spoiler.
Part of the enjoyment of EVA is to watch the complex plot unfold, and
several people has expressed regret being spoiled some major points in the
plot (which below has).

5.0) What is the Instrumentality of Men project?   

Gendou's main responsibility is said to be the Instrumentality of Men
project instead of the Evangelion project in ep.??.  Incidentally, the
phrase "Instrumentality of Men" is attributed to Anno himself.

[Translation note:  '"Instrumentality of Mankind"?  Yes,
"Instrumentality of Mankind" was translated to "JinRui Hokan Kikou" in
Japanese.

'When Literal Translation Project started translating EVANGELION, I
translated "JinRui Hokan Keikaku" as "Instrumentality of Mankind
Project." Later, ANNO himself revealed it must be translated to
"Instrumentality of Man Project".  (Well, sounds like
politically-incorrect...  )'

- Takeuchi Shouichi]

5.0.1) Is the Instrumentality of Mankind Third Impact?

What was to be achieved by Seele and by NERV/Gendou appear to be two
different things.  Throughout the series there are many examples where
Seele is dissatisfied with the progress and performance of NERV and Gendou.
What is certainly known is that during the TV series Instrumentality is
part of the tasks alloted to NERV.

In the TV series it was never explained what Seele's ultimate objective
is.  In the films the objective appears to force the Third Impact, by force
if not via the cooperation of NERV, by using EVA and the Spear of Longinus.
Seele seeks to force the evolution of man by destroying mankind.  Gendou
has an alternate method of forcing Third Impact, through Lilith and Rei.
Both seem at cross purposes to Complementation, as shown on TV episodes 25
& 26, especially with the conclusion of of the films.

The following is an explanation of what the Complementation of the
Instrumentality of Man is.

Text by Ernest Ng

--

What was sought to be achieved was Complementation by the Instrumentality
of Man (see TV episode 25).  The Complementation was to be the filling of
the vacuum in our minds to remove anxiety and fear.  This would be done by
removing AT Fields so that people could openly discuss and master their
fears (as is seen in TV episodes 25 & 26 by Misato et al guiding Shinji to
his revelation).   Thus, "Complementation" was to be achieved through the
means or "Instrumentality of (open discussion with) Man".  Hope you can all
understand that - I didn't explain it well.  That's how I see it anyway.

Ernest_Ng at proctors.com.au
--

5.1) Who is Yui, and what is her connection to EVA-01? (ep.21)

Ikari Yui is Shinji's mother.  In ep.21 we learned she was a student
in the University where Fuyutsuki worked as a Professor.  She was a
test pilot of EVA-01, and died while in an experiment involving it.
("As I wished," said Naoko, Ritsuko's mother and inventor of MAGI.) No
detail of the accident is told.  However in ep.20 Ritsuko said she
didn't invent the pilot salvage process (concerning the 400% synchro
incident), that it was used 10 years ago but failed.  Combine with the
fact that Shinji has lived away from Gendou for 10 years, there is a
strong hint that Yui was absorbed into EVA-01 much like what happened
to Shinji in ep.20.

There are other hints to this end; EVA-01 has moved several times by
itself, without external power, to protect Shinji.  In the manga,
Shinji encounters an unknown female figure while unconcious in EVA-01.

There was some suspicion after the disapperance of Yui that her
husband may have intentionally caused her death:  in Ep.  21 newspaper
headlines are shown.  

The headlines read:

~The Dark Side of the UN:  Corruption in Secret Organization!
~Secret UN Organization:  Bio-medicine's Scientific Sanctuary
~The AEL- What is the secret of the Dead Sea Scrolls?
    Artificial Evolution Laboratory
~University Faction in Dispute
~Cozy Relationship with Some Corporations
~Gene Manipulation?
~Terrifying Bio-Hazard!
~Technology to Invade the Arena of... Terror!
~One Reported Dead
~DEATH
~...for... ...research...
     Yui Ikari, age 27, became the victim of...
     ... incompetence in the laboratory...
~Careless miss?
~Human Experimentation?
     ...human negligence... DNA Inforamtion
~Runaway Effect
~Expected Danger
~Former Co-researcher
~Bribe!
~Gendo Ikari is sued...
~Genom Biology
~Supreme Court Verdict of Innocent for...
~Lack of Morals...
~Technology of God

During these headlines, the following subtitles are seen:

"That's Right! He may be guilty of killing his own wife."
"He killed his own wife."
"No! Mother was... smiling."


5.2) What happened to Shinji when he was small? (ep.21)

He witnessed Yui's fatal accident, and "ran away" from NERV and his
father.  Probably as a result of this and Yui's death, Rei is
recruited as a pilot.  In the earlier episodes he has no recollection
of this.  We were made to assume that Gendou abandoned him to work on
his project.  Shinji finally remembers in ep.(20?  21?).

I don't think this justifies what Gendou does to his son, but that's a
different question.

5.3) What happened to Asuka's parents? (ep.22)

Her mother got into an accident while test piloting an EVA (EVA-02?)
and become insane.  She thought a doll was Asuka and ignored the real
Asuka.  She was shown to have "killed" the doll and then committed
suicide in ep.22, which Asuka discovered.  As a result, Asuka hates
dolls and Rei, who she thinks is passive "like a doll".

There are several hints that Asuka's mother suffered the same fate as Yui
Ikari, that is she was also absorbed in the same type of experiment, but in
her case was retrieved, but went insane.  In the films it is shown that she
"exists" in Eva Unit-02.

Asuka's father remarried and her step mom gave her a call from Germany
in ep.22.

5.4) What is the big deal about Rei? (major spoiler ep.23, 24)

Rei is a clone, in the sense that there are multiple copies of her
body.  She is probably cloned from Yui Ikari (the RCB states that Rei
was derived from the remains of Yui after the accident in 2005), and
Lillith, the being crucified in the Terminal Dogma.  She was said to
process some Angel-like characteristics:  She has red eyes, and Kaoru
said to her "We are alike." in ep.24.  It was hinted that she
generated an A.T.Field in ep.24.  She was somehow connected with Yui:
They look alike, which Naoko noticed in ep.23, and Shinji commented "I
feel she is like (a) mother" in ep.??  and again "so, that feeling was
right after all" in ep.23.  

The only people who definitely knew, prior to ep.23, was Gendou,
Ritsuko, and Maya (hence her comment of dummy plugs being "inhumane"
in episode 14).  Fuyutsuki probabaly knows also. 

Rei is instrumental to the completion of Gendou's plans in the films.
Gendou planned to unite Rei, Lilith- and himself- to complete his version
of the Third Impact.  Instead, Rei rejected Gendou and unites with Lilith
alone, becoming a deity, and giving Shinji the option to decide.

There is only 1 "operational" Rei in any given moment in the TV
series.  The rest of the bodies are said (by Ritsuko in ep.23) to
possess no "soul" and are just "spare parts" to the dummy plugs and
the real Rei.  It seems that it is possible to transfer her soul to
another body in the event of her death, which happened twice in the
series.

The first Rei was killed (strangled) by Naoko.  The incident was shown
in ep.21.

The second Rei sacrificed herself to save Shinji in ep.23.

5.5) Why is everybody talking about the last two episodes? 
     (ep.25 & 26)   

Mostly likely that it did not make a satisfying ending and it confused
many viewers.  It did not give much of a conclusion just a lot of
philsophy.

Of course, some people liked 25 & 26.

5.7) What is LCL? 

LCL, the fluid that Evangelion pilots breath whilst in the entry plug,
is the liquid that issues out of Lillith.  According to End Of
Evangelion, when the Third Impact takes place, human matter dissolves
into LCL.  This, of course, brings up several interpretations of what
LCL is, something that is beyond the charter for the FAQ.

5.8) What is the RCB? 

The Red Cross Book lists a glossary of terms as used in the series and
films, and claims to be the final explanation of the secrets and
mysteries of Evangelion.  The following terms and names are defined in
the Red Cross Book:

A-801;
A.T. Field;
BC Weapon;
L.C.L;
MAGI;
N^2 Weapon;
S^2 Engine;
Aoba Shigeru;
Akagi Ritsuko;
The Red Earth Purification Ceremony;
Adam;
Ayanami Rei;
Umbilical Cable;
Ikari Shinji;
Ikari Gendou;
Ikari Yui;
Ibuki Maya;
Secret Dead Sea Scrolls;
Entry Plug;
Evangelion;
Evangelion mass-produced model (EVA series);
Kaji Rouji;
Katsuragi Misato;
Gaf's Room;
Keel Lorentz;
Black Moon;
Community/Colony;
Third Impact;
Third Children;
Geo-Front;
Angels;
EVA-01;
Human Complementation Plan;
Stigmata;
Tree of Life;
Fruit of Life;
SEELE;
SEELE's Coat of Arm;
Second Impact;
Second Children;
Tree of Sephiroth;
Noises of Cicada;
Strategic Self-Defence Force;
Central Dogma;
Souryu.Asuka.Langley;
Souryu.Kyouko.Langley;
Dummy Plug;
Neo-Tokyo-2;
Neo-Tokyo-3;
Single-Form;
Fruit of Wisdom;
Children;
Rite of Passage;
Destrado;
Secret Agency NERV;
Nagisa Kaworu;
EVA-02;
Mark of NERV;
Ark;
Command Centre (literal translation: Command Announcement Office);
Hyouga Makoto;
First Children;
Fuyutsuki Kouzou;
Plug Suit;
Progressive Knife;
Frigate;
Bakelite;
Enchantment;
Lilith;
Lilim;
Spear of Longinus; and
Spear of Longinus (copy)

A translation of the RCB by Patrick Yip can be found at

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/4190/shrine.html

5.8.1) Is the RCB Evangelion Canon?

The RCB is produced and edited by Studio Yuu under the supervision of
Gainax/EVA Production Committee.  Studio Yuu is listed in End of
Evangelion as Promotion Assitance, and the copyright to RCB is owned
by of Gainax/EVA Production Committee.  It's a fair guess that the RCB
can be considered as canon.

5.9) Why does Rei's image appear in front of Shinji in episode 1? 

This appers early on in the episode.  Shinji has just arrived in
Tokyo-3, just as the population has retreated to shelters as the Third
Angel attacks.  As Shinji tries to ring Misato and find out why she
isn't there to pick him up, he turns and sees Rei's image suddenly
appear.  He turns away momentarily, and when he turns back, it's gone.

This incident is never referred to again in the series, leaving this a
true mystery.

At the end of the film End of Evangelion Rei appears in the same way
that she appeared at the beginning of the TV series; in other words,
she is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega.

5.10) Why does Shinji's Plug Suit appear when he disappears completely
into EVA Unit 1 in episode 20?

When Shinji disappears into EVA Unit 1 (episodes 19/20) he's wearing
his school uniform.  Later on in 20, his plug suit appears.  Some have
considered this to be a continuity error on the part of Gainax.  The
following line is the only piece of information that refers directly
to plug suits:

Ritsuko:  All of the materials which formed Shinji-kun are kept in the
plug.  What is called his soul exits there.  In fact, his ego image
gives pseudosubstance to his plugsuit.

An interpretation of this line means that when a pilot operates an EVA
Unit, his or her body can disintegrate.  The plug suit is used to keep
the physical body together so that the pilot can be retrieved intact.

It can be then surmised that the plan to retrieve Shini involves
collecting his substance and reordering it using the plug suit.

Patrick Yip <Patrick.Yip at ing-barings.com> has noted though that the
line spoken by Ritsuko does not exist in the original script.  It has
been theorised that there was an error of animation continuity which
was caught before the episode was completed.  The line was included to
explain the inconsistency.

Bochan Bird <mmk at gol.com> theorises that Shinji's physical form was instead
turned into LCL.  If this is true, then his clothes were also absorbed
(it's not seen in the plug.)

In End of Evangelion, when people are turning into LCL near the end of the
film, their clothes are left behind!

Now to err once could be explained as a mistake; to make the same mistake
twice (albeit from different directions) could be construed as
carelessness.  Whilst the LCL theory seems viable it would seem that the
reasons why Shinji is absorbed in 20 and why people turn into LCL are both
different; having made a mistake with one set of continuity why would
Gainax make it again in the film.

5.11) Is the term "Children" a deliberate use?

According to a Evangelion date/address book, as Rei was not one child, but
several identical clone children, she was referred to as the "First
Children."  It is surmised that to protect/hide this information, following
Evangelion pilots were referred to as the "n-th Children".

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVA FAQ ver.0.6.3
Written by Stephen Lee.
Edited by Widya Santoso.
Last revised November 5, 1999.


Widya Santoso        wsantoso at nyx.net       +61 2 6288-0405
 Those who cannot forget past love affairs are condemned to
 repeat them.   -- paraphrased from George Santayana